Gapping, Take Off Position

[Phil H]

A flat gap I can do 6 foot all effort put in. Im trying to make this bigger and have been studying some videos.

If I'm taking off wall for a gap I'll be atleast a couple inches back when im in the position before I kick however looking at some awesome riders (especially noticed this with Marko Blau) people are taking off from the very very edge.

When I imagine taking off from the very edge it always seems as if the rider would plumet downwards yet they seem to be able to convert the power upwards.

Any advice or thoughts?

Phil

[fruitbat]

Its finding the right spot, like doing a gap from a rail, if you take off too far forwards it all goes wrong, but find the right spot it sort of 'pings' you a little bit

Try doing it on a small wall to start with to get the feel for it, and with everything trialsy, go bigger the more confidence you get

Frooty

[Ash-Kennard]

that technique is known as pinch gapping, it is very effective, especially when you lean back, it allows you to gap smoothly over vast distances, watch prawn, bigman or dan walker for this

[Phil H]

Allrite Cheers guys.

I'll practise as soon as I get my lever sorted

And good stuff - I'll check out some of those riders.

It definetly does look like a more effective way of gapping.

Phil

[Prawny Baby]

no, dont watch prawn

prawn is a fat f**ker who seems to break everything......

so far this year, 3 sets of forks and an echo external BB

no happy.

but yea, pinch gap, it rocks

[Phil H]

no, dont watch prawn

prawn is a fat f**ker who seems to break everything......

so far this year, 3 sets of forks and an echo external BB

no happy.

but yea, pinch gap, it rocks

Ha 3 sets of forks - extreme!

But anyway, on pinch gaps as soon as you get the 'ping' off the ledge do you throw your weight straight up?

Phil

[Greetings]

You need to accelerate your body forwards before pedalkicking. My tip is to engage the freewheel/freehub before you step on the pedal, if you're new to trials you probably don't do that yet. Start with tiny gaps like 3-4ft, when you're on the edge press the bike down very hard and do a small pedalkick jumping upwards and forwards.

That's how I see it, although it's hard to explain. Learned it from the august18 TRA movie

Edited March 15, 2007 by Inur

[Ash-Kennard]

well you say gap up, but dan actually gaps downwards, and lifts himself up at the end somehow leaving himself in quite an upright position on the edge and just rolls onto the top, very strange. I gap up, power works, but it isnt smooth i tell thee

[Shaun H]

Slightly angled on take off towards your lead foot (seen some mod boys going at like 45degrees+ now!). Then it's a case of coordinating the "bounce" where you compress your tyre and then accelerate your body forwards (the "pinch" part) with the preloading of your chain and then pedal kicking.

That's what I see the majority of big gappers doing anyhow and it seems to work ok for me.

[Prawny Baby]

well you say gap up, but dan actually gaps downwards, and lifts himself up at the end somehow leaving himself in quite an upright position on the edge and just rolls onto the top, very strange. I gap up, power works, but it isnt smooth i tell thee

i do that too ash, i gap out perfectly straight, going slightly downwards, then at the last minute, somehow the rear wheel just lifts up.

[James Quigley]

that technique is known as pinch gapping, it is very effective, especially when you lean back, it allows you to gap smoothly over vast distances, watch prawn, bigman or dan walker for this

what about me? I pinch gap like a pro

[Egg Fried Rice]

i do that too ash, i gap out perfectly straight, going slightly downwards, then at the last minute, somehow the rear wheel just lifts up.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Tis true

I remember at a pompey ride at the ruins where you was doing it over that gravel pit. it looks sooooooooo weird! some strange gapping i tell you lol

JK

[sUm]

Good topic! I seem to be in the same predicament, I've been stuck at about 6 feet for a while now and regardless of how hard I jump I just can't seem to get any further. Is it actually the pinch gap technique that has gotten the 8 foot+ gappers to that point?

[PaRtZ]

TRA pinch gaps like a mother too

Ive started to turn quite a bit away from the edge now and found it really helps, cos its part gap, part sidehop gap which gives me more distance. however in terms of pinching i cant so i take off miles away from the edge

[Tomm]

There's a TRA video where he's gapping across a little pond. The water is probably 8" or so below the take-off, and he still skims the water just after the take-off. It's really weird - you would think that your wheel should go up. But I guess whilst your weight is being thrown upwards, the wheel can go down a bit without it making too much difference.

[Luke Rainbird]

The water is probably 8" or so below the take-off, and he still skims the water just after the take-off

Misread that as 8', now THAT would be impressive...

[Krisboats]

Misread that as 8', now THAT would be impressive...

too true!

My wheel goes down a shit load on drop gaps. Probably 10-12" under the take off then i suck it up mid way and throw it down again. Seems to work for me.

As for learning to pinh gap... try starting with a little hop to the dge of the wall first. Aim to land at the edge of the wall and as your landing you'll compress your rear tyre and lean back enough to utilize the pinch gap technique without really having to try at it. Once you can do it this way you'll be able to just do it from absolutely static.

[Gandalf the Yellow]

and he still skims the water just after the take-off.

i think, its because when you gap you tend to pull the bars towards your body, whilst making the bike vertical, and this sort of 'pushes' the rear wheel down?

ahh i seem to have confused myself..but thats how i picture gaps..

steve

[Biff...]

Couple of gaps from Biff, just on pallets in his Garden, notice he doesnt take off from the very edge but this is a flat gap remember, its alot harder to pinch gap on flat gaps

Enjoy

[ben_travis]

my gaps are shit atm, but im sure i take off just behind the edge, although i might be wrong completely hahah. i dont pay much attention i just go for it, i turn my body nearly 45* and sort of lean down the side of the wheel when pre-loading.

IMO the gapping and the distance u make is down to pre-load, the further u can preload and then spring forward the more power you should essentially get through your bike and ur gap should be further.

i think closer to the edge is better, im not sure if i pinch gap, ill have a look at it on camera for you sometime and let you know

i probably do

[Ghetto Rider]

Sideways gapping going upwards works a treat.... not very smooth but meh 7 - 8ft not too bad eh?

Dan

[Brian Bleech]

my gaps are shit atm, but im sure i take off just behind the edge, although i might be wrong completely hahah. i dont pay much attention i just go for it, i turn my body nearly 45* and sort of lean down the side of the wheel when pre-loading.

i think i do that too, normally about 6'' away from the edge and just stomp it because i am old skool!

[Ross McArthur]

.....and gear ratio has to be taken into consideration. running a closer ratio like 20 19 then doing pinch gaps are going to be easier.

having a larger ratio like 22 17 or 16 then doing gaps you have to be furhter back from the edge to role a little before take off. making pinch gaps pretty darn hard IMO

Edited March 16, 2007 by glasvagas

[Phil H]

Cheers for all the replies guys.

Looks like a technique I've got to explore and practise and now I've got a better idea how to.

What is absolute sh!t is the fact I have a virus and won't be riding for 2 weeks or something ridiculous.

Phil

[Krisboats]

Cheers for all the replies guys.

Looks like a technique I've got to explore and practise and now I've got a better idea how to.

What is absolute sh!t is the fact I have a virus and won't be riding for 2 weeks or something ridiculous.

Phil

Unless its a flesh eating virus from the tropics tell it to f*** off and ride regardless. The riding will actually increase your blood flow and improve your red a white cell production... the increase in white ones will aid in getting rid of your virus quicker.

So if it feels hard to ride like you normally do just go out and have a play with the technique on smaller gaps than normal, you'll still be able to ride and you'll get better quicker.

Riding is good for many reasons